Danny had found Elizabeth's early morning reading spot.

It was tucked out of the way, but it really wasn't difficult to find. Danny just hadn't bothered before. Well, he still hadn't really bothered, but he wasn't against it as school work was a focus and there was something to having good, now great, grades.

Jesse had spotted him and insisted they go combine heads with Franz and Elizabeth, see if they figured out a particular question from Geometry.

So Danny hadn't really found or bothered, more gone along with it.

Standing at the entrance as Jesse swooped right into the midst of the small group clustered at the low long table, Danny rubbed at his suddenly tight chest. There was an old beat up cream couch that screamed homey and comforting, three girls crashed on it and another perched on an armrest as they chatted and leaned over notebooks and held them out for the others to see. Elle from cross country was one of them. And having figured out she was the artist one on the team, he could make a good guess what was going on there.

There was a couple matching plush chairs. One in use by an older guy Danny guessed was a senior, who's look screamed tough motorcycle greaser, tapping fingertips along the edge of a book, flipping though it with intensity that made his investment clear. Danny stared a little. He recognized the cover. It was the inexplicable romantic comedy manga series being passed around the school, one book after the other.

A couple of guys Danny didn't recognize, so probably another grade too, were fiddling around on a couple of computers and pulling up animated music videos to play in the background, taking a few called out requests from the girls on the couch or Franz from the table group insisting on some anime song with angel in the title.

It was all so cozy. Comfortable. Everyone at ease.

Rubbing at his chest, Danny focused his attention to the long wooden coffee table.

Jesse wasn't the only one with the idea to come in about the Geometry assignment to pick the heads of Franz and Elizabeth. There was another girl and guy he recognized from their class here too. The consensus seemed to be if only a couple of them could work it out, they'd be aiming to get the teacher to toss it out. Franz was pointing at something in the book unhelpfully, repeating a formula, while Elizabeth attempted to talk the others through it.

Wait.

Those two had figured it out?

How?

Danny made his way inside, trying to hear the explanation.

He could believe it of Elizabeth from what he'd seen, understanding and regular school work seemed to come easy for her. Which, apparently, annoyed the hell out of Matt. Danny didn't blame the kid. But Franz?

It took a while, but Elizabeth adding on and fully explaining off of Franz's not so helpful jabs at a formula finally got them all to an answer.

And, at seeing her and Franz packing up so they could head over to change early for gym, Danny took his chance to escape too.

Anything to get out of this room.

"Hey, man, wait up."

Jogging up beside Danny, Jesse shot him a smile.

Great.

That's right. They shared first class together. History. Made sense for Jesse to stick with him Danny supposed. But the guy could have stayed back hanging out with those other kids for a while longer.

Sighing, huffing, Danny continued on to class. His books pressed against his chest like a shield, ignoring the other boy best he could, resigned and growing angrier by each passing second of Jesse tagging along. Fingers dug tight into his books and he sucked in his lips, teeth biting down on them, holding them in place.

Fine. It was fine. He was fine.

Huh.
Pauses.
I mean, still hit the slam post as soon as I finish with whatever comes, but, huh. This one feels different.
Less swarm and crowd new guy, new kid sparkle is fading some for ya Danny.